The Boks will line up against a World XV team comprising of some of the best players in the game, and Habana admits that the quality they will come up against will be down to Mallett.
“I have had the experience of playing in a team like this (the World XV) when I played for the Barbarians back in 2009 and we have to respect the calibre of player we will be up against. Some of them are world class and we need to respect that,” said the record-breaking Bok wing.
“One thing you can be sure of is that Nick Mallett will get them up for this game. Anyone who has been in a change-room where Mallett is doing the motivating will vouch for the effect he can have on you. He has an uncanny ability to get the best out of players who play for him, no matter where in the world they are from.”
Tests against Wales (twice) and Scotland will follow after the meeting in Newlands and Habana says there is no time to take their opening match lightly.
“We will catch up with some of the World XV for a chat afterwards and maybe a coffee at some stage while they’re in Cape Town, but during the 80 minutes when we are on the field it will be a deadly serious business. It will be test match rugby for that time,” he said.
